High-Def Fans Can Finally Get Their Stinking Paws on the Sci-Fi Classics - Planet of the Apes 40 Year Evolution Blu-Ray Collection Packaged With Exclusive New Content Including An Unrated Version Of Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes Previously Unreleased In The U.S., A Newly Unearthed Message From ANSA And More, This Ultimate Apes Set Arrives on Blu-ray Worldwide This Fall From Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

·CENTURY CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 30, 2008-- Humans are even uglier in High-Def when Planet Of The Apes: 40 Year Evolution Blu-ray Collection takes over the Earth November 4th in North America and throughout the Fall Internationally from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. This spectacular set includes all five hair-raising Planet Of The Apes films on Blu-ray for the first time, including Beneath The Planet Of The Apes, Escape From The Planet Of The Apes, Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes, Battle For The Planet Of The Apes, and the 1968 original Planet Of The Apes, which stunned audiences with its now-iconic conclusion and shockingly dystopian view of humanity's fate. From an age of film when science fiction served as allegory in addition to providing thrilling spectacle and edge-of-your-seat adventure, the Planet Of The Apes franchise set the gold standard for Sci-Fi films. Now the films that changed the face of science fiction forever will be available in the ultimate home viewing format. This year's Comic Con International 2008 provided fans a first look at some of the exciting extras to be featured on the Blu-ray discs. · Planet Of The Apes: 40 Year Evolution Blu-ray Collection is packed with exclusive new High-Def content. As a special treat for Apes fans, the collection includes an unrated version of Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Previously unreleased in the United States, this version includes eight minutes of unrated footage. Other new special content includes an "Evolution of the Apes" documentary chronicling the evolution of the Apes universe from novel to the big screen, an "Impact of the Apes" featurette exploring the cultural impact of the franchise and a never-before-seen public service announcement from ANSA about the seminal flight of the "Project Liberty" crew. Each Planet Of The Apes sequel included in the beautifully packaged collection will contain brand new High-Def making-of featurettes and will be available for the suggested retail price of $159.98 U.S. · In addition, the previously released Limited Edition Planet Of The Apes Ultimate Collection will be available in the uniquely packaged ape head just in time for the holidays at a more attractive price. · · International Releases: · Complete title configurations and exact release dates will be announced by individual territories. · · Synopses: · The compelling and classic 1968 Planet Of The Apes stars Oscar-winner(R) Charlton Heston (Ben-Hur, 1960) as an astronaut who crash lands on a planet ruled by apes who use a primitive race of humans for experimentation and sport. Beneath The Planet Of The Apes tells the story of a daring rescue mission that leads to a subterranean city where mutant humans worship a weapon capable of destroying the entire planet. In Escape From The Planet Of The Apes, two futuristic simians who have traveled to present-day Earth enjoy celebrity status--until a government plot forces them to run for their lives! In Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes, apes have been domesticated and trained as pets and personal servants--until their continual mistreatment leads to a spectacular revolt. In the final Apes chapter, Battle For The Planet Of The Apes, an idyllic society of man and ape is threatened by both a militant gorilla and a tribe of still-intelligent mutant humans. · Planet Of The Apes: 40 Year Evolution Blu-ray Collection Blu-ray Disc Special Features: · Each Planet Of The Apes Blu-ray Disc will be authored in Java on a double-layer disc presented in widescreen (2.35:1 aspect ratio) with English 5.1 DTS Master Audio, English, Spanish and French Mono and includes English and Spanish subtitles. All new special features will be presented in High-Def. Bonus features include: · ·-- NEW Science of the Apes BONUSVIEW - Scientists, anthropologists and · sociologists discuss the facts and fiction of the first film ·-- NEW "Beyond the Forbidden Zone" Adventure Game ·-- NEW "A Public Service Announcement From ANSA" in HD - A mission · report from the agency regarding their brave astronauts ·-- NEW "Evolution of the Apes"- HD featurette tracing the apes story · from the original novel to the screen ·-- NEW "Impact of the Apes" - HD featurette on how to market a · worldwide pop culture phenomenon. The story behind the marketing and · merchandising of one of the first ever film franchises and the · series' lasting influence on pop culture through the years ·-- NEW HD Making-of Featurette for Each Sequel: · -- Beneath the Planet of the Apes - "From Alpha to Omega: · Building a Sequel" · -- Escape from the Planet of the Apes - "The Secret Behind · Escape" · -- Conquest of the Planet of the Apes - "Riots and Revolutions: · Confronting the Times" · -- Battle for the Planet of the Apes - "End of an Epic: The Final · Battle" ·-- NEW Each Apes sequel will have an isolated score track in 5.1 DTS · Master Audio ·-- Commentary by Composer Jerry Goldsmith ·-- Commentary by Actors Roddy McDowall, Natalie Trundy, Kim Hunter and · Makeup Artist John Chambers ·-- Text Commentary by Eric Greene and Author of "Planet of the Apes as · American Myth" ·-- Behind the Planet of the Apes Documentary - Includes all new · interactivity and timeline ·-- Behind the Planet of the Apes Promo (1988) ·-- Planet of the Apes Makeup Test with Edward G. Robinson (1966) ·-- Roddy McDowall On-set Footage ·-- Planet of the Apes Dailies and Outtakes (No Audio) ·-- Planet of the Apes NATO Presentation (1967) ·-- Planet of the Apes Vintage Featurette (1968) ·-- A Look Behind the Planet of the Apes (1972) ·-- Don Taylor Directs Escape from the Planet of the Apes ·-- J. Lee Thompson Directs Conquest of the Planet of the Apes ·-- Six Original Theatrical Trailers ·-- Original Sketches by Costume Designer Morton Haack ·-- Photo Gallery ·-- Planet of the Apes Timeline ·-- Interactive Pressbooks ·-- Vintage Apes Newspaper Galleries ·-- Advertising and Lobby Card Galleries ·-- Behind-the-Scenes Galleries · · About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment · A recognized global industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC (TCFHE) is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD) and Digital Copy as well as acquisitions and original productions. The company also releases all products around the globe for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets -- from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce - throughout the world. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC is a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. · · North American press materials are available for download at · Fox Press Room · · ·Planet Of The Apes: 40 Year Evolution Blu-ray Collection - North · America Information: ·---------------------------------------------------------------------- ·Street Date: November 4, 2008 ·Pre-book Date: October 8, 2008 ·DVD Price: $159.98 U.S. ·Closed Captioned: Yes · ·Planet Of The Apes Blu-ray ·---------------------------------------------------------------------- ·Total Running Time: 112 minutes ·MPAA Rating: G · ·Beneath The Planet Of The Apes Blu-ray ·---------------------------------------------------------------------- ·Total Running Time: 94 minutes ·MPAA Rating: G · ·Escape From The Planet Of The Apes Blu-ray ·---------------------------------------------------------------------- ·Total Running Time: 97 minutes ·MPAA Rating: G · ·Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes Blu-ray ·---------------------------------------------------------------------- ·Total Running Time: 86 minutes ·MPAA Rating: PG · ·Battle For The Planet Of The Apes Blu-ray ·---------------------------------------------------------------------- ·Total Running Time: 86 minutes ·MPAA Rating: G · ·Limited Edition Planet Of The Apes Ultimate DVD Collection (Ape Head · Packaging) ·---------------------------------------------------------------------- ·Street Date: November 4, 2008 ·Pre-book Date: October 8, 2008 ·DVD Price: $179.98 U.S. / $249.98 Canada ·Catalog #: 2233133 · · SOURCE: Fox Home Entertainment ·Copyright Business Wire 2008 ·

*1968 original Planet of the Apes *Beneath The Planet of the Apes *Escape from The Planet of the Apes *Conquest of The Planet of the Apes (I believe "unrated version") *Battle for The Planet of the Apes

Great news! I have the 14-disc "Ape head" set, but I´m still going to double-dip..

I will also wait for the stand-alone release of the first film. But I want to let Fox know this is not sour grapes - I think it is awesome they are bringing these out. The truth is that there are SO many titles coming out this Fall/Winter that I'm sort of relieved the first film won't be available by itself right away.

"And now the reprimand, from an American critic. He reproaches me for using film as a sacred & lasting medium, like a painting or a book. He does not believe that filmmaking is an inferior art, but he believes, and quite rightly, that a reel goes quickly, that the public are looking above all for relaxation, that film is fragile and that it is pretentious to express the power of one's soul by such ephemeral and delicate means, that Charlie Chaplin's or Buster Keaton's first films can only be seen on very rare and badly spoiled prints. I add that the cinema is making daily progress and that eventually films that we consider marvelous today will soon be forgotten because of new dimensions & colour. This is true. But for 4 weeks this film [The Blood of a Poet] has been shown to audiences that have been so attentive, so eager & so warm, that I wonder after all there is not an anonymous public who are looking for more than relaxation in the cinema." - Jean Cocteau, 1932

I don't hate the sequels. I simply feel no need to revisit them, let alone own them.

"And now the reprimand, from an American critic. He reproaches me for using film as a sacred & lasting medium, like a painting or a book. He does not believe that filmmaking is an inferior art, but he believes, and quite rightly, that a reel goes quickly, that the public are looking above all for relaxation, that film is fragile and that it is pretentious to express the power of one's soul by such ephemeral and delicate means, that Charlie Chaplin's or Buster Keaton's first films can only be seen on very rare and badly spoiled prints. I add that the cinema is making daily progress and that eventually films that we consider marvelous today will soon be forgotten because of new dimensions & colour. This is true. But for 4 weeks this film [The Blood of a Poet] has been shown to audiences that have been so attentive, so eager & so warm, that I wonder after all there is not an anonymous public who are looking for more than relaxation in the cinema." - Jean Cocteau, 1932

I'm guessing these will be on 4 discs at the most- the first film + extras on disc 1, then the four sequels doubled up and spread across two discs, and another disc for further extras. Otherwise I can't imagine them wasting Bd-50s on film with running times only around 1.5 hours. Not in a Q4 anyway. This will probably be around $90 in the fall DD sale. I'll wait and see what the word is on the video first and then go from there. Something seems odd with that release-is that really a reduced price for the ape head? I wonder if they got the prices switched?

Well, I hated the second one, and I never bothered to watch any of the others after I heard that was considered one of the 'better' sequels. I with you, Brandon. This is not 'sour grapes', Fox simply isn't selling what I am interested in, which is only the first film. If I hated the Matrix sequels, which I don't, I'd be in the same boat.

Universal Blu-ray Discs I will not be buying while they're offered only as Blu-ray + DVD 'flipper' discs:

I understand that. I just find it puzzling that a set like Blade Runner on BD with 5(yes, 5 different versions of the same film) gets praised to the heavens, Fox pulls out all the stops for an Apes set, and most people are of the "I'll pass" variety. Planet of the Apes(and all it's sequels) is pop culture gold, and with the new features, and HD transfers I can't see a reason many people would want to skip it.

Blade Runner was one film with alternate cuts for $39.99 MSRP. This is five different films for $159.98 MSRP. That's not exactly a fair comparison.

"And now the reprimand, from an American critic. He reproaches me for using film as a sacred & lasting medium, like a painting or a book. He does not believe that filmmaking is an inferior art, but he believes, and quite rightly, that a reel goes quickly, that the public are looking above all for relaxation, that film is fragile and that it is pretentious to express the power of one's soul by such ephemeral and delicate means, that Charlie Chaplin's or Buster Keaton's first films can only be seen on very rare and badly spoiled prints. I add that the cinema is making daily progress and that eventually films that we consider marvelous today will soon be forgotten because of new dimensions & colour. This is true. But for 4 weeks this film [The Blood of a Poet] has been shown to audiences that have been so attentive, so eager & so warm, that I wonder after all there is not an anonymous public who are looking for more than relaxation in the cinema." - Jean Cocteau, 1932

Blade Runner was also released the same date as the SD version. This is essentially a "HD upgrade" for anyone who bought in on the last giant release.

One film you love vs. (potentially) 1 film you love and some others of varying interest? $40 vs. $160? I mean, it's not really quantum physics here.

I won't be buying - I purchased the ape head and will probably never own another version of any of these films, but I hope Fox delivers quality goods and that they get any recognition/sales they deserve for such a release.

Certainly not bitter here, but certainly not really interested either. Possibly on a BD of the original, by itself, if I find it at the right price, but other than that, not enough of a fan to warrant _another_ purchase.